Page 27 of Treasure of the Abyss

He frowned; she felt so good against him, fit so perfectly. Water sloshed around him as he swam back to the island. Reluctantly, he lowered her onto the ground and released his hold, the tip of a tentacle lingering briefly on at herback.

“Thank you.” She stepped back and tugged the fabric of her covering, pulling it down so it didn’t cling to her body, and crossed her arms over herchest.

“It is the same as mating?” heasked.

“No. I mean…it’s notjustsex. When two humans decide they want to join, it usually means…forever. Until one of themdies.”

“Why make such abond?”

“Why wouldn’t we? If you love someone, and can’t stand the thought of being apart from them…” She paused; her expression became drawn, and when she spoke again, there was sadness in her voice. “Why wouldn’t you join your life with theirs? Why not build a home together, afamily?”

It was a concept wholly alien compared to ways of the kraken. Mating had little to do with emotion; the kraken needed to reproduce to survive, and the females would choose the males they thought most likely to father strongchildren.

His thoughts turned to Macy’s loneliness — to his own loneliness. To the man on the beach, calling Macy’sname.

“I saw a male on the beach yesterday. He was in your boat, calling for you. Are youjoinedwith him?” His chest burned at the thought of her with another male; the feeling was both unfamiliar and startling in itsintensity.

Macy met his gaze. She took a step closer, eyes wide and full of hope. “He’s alive? You sawCamrin?”

Her expression strengthened the flaring emotion inside Jax. He remembered the terms for what he felt — possessiveness. Jealousy. He’d never cared about what other kraken had, never felt hurt when females left him for another male. But Macy being mated toCamrinwas too much tobear.

And hehadto know forsure.

“Are you joined with him?” herepeated.

The light in her eyes dimmed, and she looked away. For a moment, she was silent, staring aside with a deepfrown.

“Macy—”

“We were on our way tojoin.”

Jax clenched his fists, and his entire body tensed. Beneath the water, his tentacles thrashed restlessly. “Until the storm. Untilme.”

She looked at him. “Yes.”

Everything inside him halted, and searing heat flooded his veins. Jax had saved her life and taken it in the same action. He’d caused her sorrow, and he was the reason it continued. But he would not relent,couldnot; she was his, now, just as much as any of the objects he’d found in the sea and brought to thisplace.

Macy dropped her gaze, fingers restless along the bottom of her covering. “Everyone knew he was going to ask. I knew, too. My mom and dad were hoping for it. We’ve been friends for so long, and he’s always cared about me… He never kept that a secret. He waited, gave me plenty of time, but I think he knew he had to be the one to make the move because I…justcouldn’t.”

Jax eased slightly, unclenching hisfists.

“He wanted it to be a surprise, so he was taking me somewhere special. A place we could join, become husband and wife, without anyone else around. And I was going to.” Her lip quivered, and a sheen of water filled her eyes. “It waswrong. I should have told him, years ago. He deserved to know. But I felt so guilty, and I didn’t want to break his heart. I thought my feelings would change, that I would grow to love him. I mean…Idolove him. As a friend. Abrother.”

The water fell from her eyes as she met Jax’s gaze. “I would’ve gone through with it and lived a lie. Now, he probably thinks I’m dead, and…and I… I never toldhim.”

He considered her words, thrusting aside his own roiling emotions. She was not joined with Camrin. Jax had prevented that from happening when he rescuedher.

“Isn’t that better for him?” His voice was cold, even to himself, but it was the only way to keep some distance between them. The only way to fight the urge to take her into another soothingembrace.

He guessed she wouldn’t be so accepting of his touch,now.

Macy flinched. “I…don’t know. I know what it’s like to hold onto something and not let it go. You just…stopliving.”

Though he didn’t want to talk about her almost-mate anymore, Jax sensed that Macy needed to. She needed to sort through herfeelings.

“You think he will hold on to you that way…and you feel guilt for it?” heasked.

Shenodded.

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